There’s more to marketing your self-published book than press releases, book tours and social media marketing. These tools are valuable and effective, but don’t overlook the value of “passive” marketing tools, such as book reviews.
Think about how you begin the buying process these days. Does your purchase start with independent research
on a product? Do you find yourself swayed toward or away from a brand based on glowing or searing customer comments? How often have you asked friends, family or fellow shoppers for feedback on something you plan to buy? As consumers, we rely heavily on word of mouth before we invest our hard-earned dollars in anything — and books are no exception. Readers have millions of choices in books, and they want to choose the right one. What other people like themselves say about your book can get potential buyers to take notice.
With that in mind, it’s vital for a self-published author to be seen by the right audience and get that valuable review. If you haven’t already, order review copies of your book that you can send to local and regional publications that do book reviews. Use the Outskirts Press free Book Review Starter Kit to get off on the right foot. The kit includes helpful tips on getting your book into reviewers’ hands, as well as a list of reviewers and their contact information!
Outskirts Press authors who don’t want to do all of the “heavy lifting” themselves can take an even simpler path; let us do all the work for you with the Book Review Submission Service, which puts your book directly into the hands of 10 book reviewers vetted by Outskirts Press. As always, remember that no one (including the author nor Outskirts Press) has any control over whether the book reviewer chooses to write a review, decides to share a review that is written, or what the review will say (positive or negative).
Want a guaranteed review? Try one or more of our other book review submission services:
- ForeWord Clarion Guaranteed Book Review
- Kirkus Indie Guaranteed Book Review
- Blue Ink Guaranteed Book Review
Are you a self-publishing author ready to receive marketing support like this?
let the book reviews begin!!!!
Hi Ellen, That is great advice and a great story to share. Thank you. And congratulations on the rave review and endorsement of your book. We agree!
As an Outskirts Press new author, I can attest to the value of book reviewds. My book has bene reviewed on Amazon.com by readers which really helps market my book to others. But, also, I have taken the time to send my book to local and larger newspapers for their review. In the case of the local paper, I simply needed to drop off a copy of my book to their circulation desk. Books are placed there for the taking. There is NO guarantee that it will result in a review, but it’s an opportunity. I took the chance back in early November. This past Sunday (March 4th) in the paper -larger than life appeared the review I had sought but had almost given up on. With a very flattering and lengthy description of the story line, the author/reader described the book quite accurately and then awarded me the compliment: “Cumbess is a first rate writer and I give “Tales of a Lion” an eight out of 10.” As it has been said many times before – You can’t buy that kind of publicity!